Day 28...A Day In Montana is a good day.

Day 28…Big Sky Montana. Today it should have been called Big Wind Montana.  Montana...

I really like staying on military installations.  This was my first visit to Minot AFB and the accommodations were really nice.  The morning greeted me with a high, thin, overcast that kept the temperature lower than I’d like.  It was in the mid-60s, but it was early yet.  I looked at the bike and decided to clean it up a little before I hit the road.  So I asked the housekeeping staff for some old rags and got busy washing the BMW.  It really needed a good washing and it took me longer than I wanted, but at last it looked like somebody cared about it.  I did my normal ‘preflight’ checking tire pressures, oil, and fluid levels.  It was all a go. 

Leaving the base it was obvious that wearing my warm jacket was a good call.  The temp had not risen much and it was about 70 degrees.  Going west on Highway 2, I saw some really pretty country.  Wide open with green, rolling hills and neat well-tended farms.  About 50 miles into the trip I noticed it was getting cooler and pulled over and added another layer up top.  That did the trick and on I went.  About 20 miles later I felt the first rain drop.  It was just the occasional drop and I didn’t even bother to put on my rain gear.  Then I noticed all the cars coming towards me had their wipers going.  And it started to sprinkle a little more.  It wasn’t dark and it didn’t look much like rain, but then I began to see, in the distance, a wall of rain coming…not heavy, but heavy enough.   I quickly pulled over and put on my rain gear.  That was a good choice.  Two minutes later I’m in a rain that lasted for the next 40 miles.  My nice clean bike was a muddy mess when I finally rode out from under the rain and pulled in to take off the gear.

I hate rain on a motorcycle!

I didn't put on rain gear for little rain squalls like this

Then started the wind.  Good lord!  I estimate it was at least 20mph, maybe even 25 with gusts to 30.  It made for a miserable ride.  The wind was either head on or a right quartering headwind all day long.  It beat me up, pushed the bike around, and made it generally impossible to relax on the bike. 

On the plus side, I love this country.  The hills, trees, and rivers inspire my imagination about what it must have been like when great herds of buffalo roamed the country and the native americans were lords of all they could see.  How magnificent it must have been to ride horses through belly-deep grass, drink from the myriad streams, and chase the mighty buffalo from the back of a running horse.  In the course of the day’s drive I crossed two Indian Reservations.  I stopped on one reservation to pack my riding jacket and put it away since it had warmed up to 80 or so.  There I met Richard, a ‘Dakota Sioux’.  Richard told me about the Sioux bands, and he is part of the northern most.  He is the last surviving sibling having lost 6 brothers already.  He was quite happy to chat and he said he envied my epic journey but, he said, ”I don’t suppose I’ll ever leave the reservation.”

More blue sky with puffy white clouds.  More rivers (including the Milk River which winds back and forth so that you cross it at least a half dozen times). More herds of cattle.  Now and then herds of horses all standing with their tails to the wind.  I don’t know if I could get tired of looking at this country or not.  I do know that I didn’t get tired of the 400+ miles I saw today.

I rode by the Ft. Peck reservoir and noticed this stretch of road was annotated as the Lewis and Clark Trail.  I’d really like to have seen the country the way they saw it.  If you get a chance read the book “Undaunted Courage” by Stephen Ambrose.  It is about the Lewis and Clark expedition and is the best book about them I’ve read. 

My goal for the day was Havre, MT…unremarkable except it was the right distance to stop and call it a day.  As I got closer the wind began to let up and I was able to find a good campsite for little money.  The last mile into town though was all torn up.  The asphalt was gone and the road had been temporarily graveled as they worked on a new road.  It was deep gravel and it made riding the bike really squirrely.  The tent was a little tough to get set up, but once properly staked out it was fine.  I rode back to town for some KFC…one of life’s little indulgencies. 

First rain, then gravel road.  I need a break.

 

Back in camp I notice a bad spot on my rear tire.  I will have to find a place tomorrow to have it looked at before I hit the road.  I hope there is a place that can accommodate me.